


Twist Some More

by CrackingLamb



Series: Til It Squeaks: A Modern Girl's Take on Thedas [5]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Additional Characters to Be Added As They Show Up, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Relationships, Established Relationship, F/M, Headcannon Glitter, Male-Female Friendship, Mild Angst, Mild Kink, Modern Girl in Thedas, Plot Bunnies - Freeform, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, References to Tevinter Nights, Self-Indulgent, Solas Is a Gentle Dom, The Dad Wolf Rises, This Is My Love Letter to Carly and Solas, Unrepentant Fluff, You can't change my mind, and unrelated to that, negotiated boundaries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:22:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29822109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrackingLamb/pseuds/CrackingLamb
Summary: The Breach is sealed.  The Qunari invasion of the South was stopped in its tracks.  Solas didn't leave.  Carly didn't either.  Negotiations for the return of the Dales went about as well as expected.  The Veil is...in progress.And is that acradle?  A sequel to Twist.NSFW will be marked with **.Beta'd by Iron Angel.Updates on Tuesday.
Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas, Fen'Harel | Solas/Female Lavellan
Series: Til It Squeaks: A Modern Girl's Take on Thedas [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1830358
Comments: 41
Kudos: 50





	1. Introductions Over Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> A year ago today I started posting a little fic I was writing. It kept growing and growing, and became a monster that ate my life with love. Did you read Twist? Awesome, and heartfelt thanks, you can skip the rest of this. 
> 
> A brief recap for those who didn't: 
> 
> Carly - A human from Earth who fell out of the Breach into an elven body. She used her powers of foreknowledge for good and convinced Solas that destroying the world was a Bad Idea(tm).  
> Corypheus - Dead, of course. Orb saved. Breach sealed.  
> Clan Lavellan - Safe and alive, thanks to Carly's hands on approach to dealing with the Venatori. She was formally adopted into the clan at that point.  
> Solas - Didn't leave. In fact, he and Carly are a very happy couple.  
> Blight, Evanuris - Eradicated and reduced to simple spirits, respectively.  
> Felassan - Alive and not Tranquil.  
> Sentinels - Allied with Solas and Carly and maintain a garrison at Skyhold as well as Vir'Abelasan.  
> Qunari invasion - Halted. Solas now has control of the entire Eluvian network.  
> Inquisition - Passed on to Cassandra's capable hands as a peacekeeping force. Leliana became Divine.  
> The Dales - Returned to elven hands from Orlais by force, then held by treaty. Gaspard is dead.  
> The Veil - Held back at Skyhold using a system of anchors to counteract the harmonic frequency, meaning there are free ranging spirits and no demons in the Frostback Mountains.
> 
> And now...

The Kirkwall estate was blessedly silent when Da'Fen Carly Mayers Lavellan and her companion exited the Eluvian in the cellar. The mirror shimmered behind them for a moment before closing itself. It gave her just enough enough time to light a candle. Of course, with her limited focus and even more limited ability away from Skyhold, all she managed to do was call veilfire to the half burned taper. But it was light.

“Well done,” Felassan said. “You're getting better at that in places where the Veil still exists.”

“Thanks, hahren,” she teased. They shared a grin in the flickering green light.

She carried it up to the main level, where early evening sun still poured through the wide windows. She put the candle down on a table and went to her little office off the library to hastily scribble a note. Felassan seemed content to wander the main level under the watchful eyes of the two Sentinels still on duty here. He poked his head into the rooms and saw what kind of life she and Solas led when they weren't Da'Fen and Fen'Harel. Which admittedly wasn't particularly exciting, although it seemed he approved. He knew just as well as she did that Solas preferred quiet peace to constant busyness.

“Ready?” she called brightly, donning a plain cloak.

“Of course.”

They left the house and went to the Hightown market. Carly stopped off at a courier to have her note delivered then led the way between the stalls of the open air trading spot, looking for anything interesting. She ignored the sideways stares, she had gotten good at that over the years. Felassan stayed at her heels, his remarkably unremarkable staff at his side. A mage wandering around in public wasn't the kind of terror inducing sight it used to be, even in Kirkwall. She made her purchases and they went back to the house just as the recipients of her note arrived.

“Peaches!” Varric called to her. He wrapped her up in a tight hug before they even went in. “You look good.”

Carly opened the door and let Varric and Hawke in, setting down the parcels she'd found. “Thanks. I feel pretty good.”

“Who's this?” Varric asked.

“I am Felassan,” the elf introduced himself. He gave a flourishing bow that made Hawke chortle.

“He's one of our agents. And he's...ya know... _venerable_. Felassan, meet Viscount Tethras and the Champion of Kirkwall, Hawke.”

Felassan gave her a look at her dig about his age, but Varric was chuckling. “Another old timer, eh? How's the modern world treating you?”

“It has its ups and downs. It's good to meet you at last. I've heard tales.”

“I bet.” Carly noticed Varric was still staring at the candle on the table. The green flame was steady, although it didn't give off much light now that the rest of the house glowed with more typical lamps. He finally turned to her with a shocked expression. “Did you do that?”

She grinned. “I did.”

“That's amazing,” Hawke said. She peered at the flame closely, holding her hand close to it even though it gave off no heat. “Bethany says it's one of the first things they've decided to teach in the College.”

“It's certainly better than calling real fire, I would imagine,” Carly said. “It doesn't burn anything, and is good practice for both control and manipulation of the Veil. At home, I can call actual fire a little more easily, but it's not my best element.”

“Still, to have mastered it in what...a few weeks?”

“A little over a month.”

“It's quite an achievement,” the Champion went on. “You must be proud of yourself.”

“I am.”

Hawke caught the look on Varric's face and laughed. “Darling, I grew up with a sister who's a mage, and spent most of her life as an apostate. I know how hard it is when you're starting out.”

“It's weird, that's all. You didn't know Peaches when she first fell out of the Breach. She couldn't even hold her bow correctly, much less shoot it. Now she's saved the world and she can do magic. It's...weird.”

“Welcome to life after the Veil,” Carly teased. She gathered up her groceries and headed towards the kitchen. The others followed her.

“How's that holding up, by the way?” Varric asked.

“Seems to be steady. There are no rifts along the edges of the spell, Solas checks pretty regularly, and the rest seems to have stabilized.”

“And the dread god himself?”

Felassan snorted and Carly grinned. “He's in the Darvaarad right now, collecting Eluvian frames.” Carly laid out the ingredients she needed to get started on for their dinner, stashing the rest in a cold chest. “There are so many there, and he needs to get more working locations into the network. It's a big project though. Most of them are broken.”

“And that's not an issue for him?”

“Nah. Eluvian glass isn't a lost art to them.” She waved a hand vaguely in both Felassan's and her Sentinels' direction. “Revanas and her crew have been working on it. Thank you, by the way, for that contact with the Merchant's Guild. The lyrium would have been much harder to source without it now that I'm not Inquisitor.”

“No problem.” Varric sat himself in the chair Carly had made sure was the right height for him and fiddled with his necklace. “So...is he serious about this next phase?”

“Yes. I think he wants to do the Arbor Wilds next. Although, he's been in talks with Alistair and Anora lately. I think he might be working out the details for Brecilian Forest too.”

“Little patches all over.” Varric shook his head. “Isn't that just going to make the whole Veil weaker? I mean...you poke enough holes in a shirt, it becomes pretty worthless.”

“The Veil isn't a shirt,” Carly reminded him. “The Fade is a song, the Veil is like a note that cancels it out so most people can't hear it. Except in the places where it's now being canceled out again. Wait...does that even make sense?”

“Eh, sorta. I get the idea.”

“What about the Dales?” Hawke asked. “Isn't that the long term plan? Drop the Veil over the entire area?”

“At some point. You gotta remember though, what's long term to Elvhen is _really_ long term to mortals. He's thinking it will be generations before he does that. Let the elves get used to having a homeland again before they all become mages on top of it.”

“Seriously? I thought he was all about bringing back elven glory.”

“It's not about glory,” Felassan said. “It's about freedom to choose one's life according to one's own will.”

Varric was giving him an assessing look and Carly smiled to herself. She waited for the pieces to fit together in her friend's head and saw the moment they did. “An agent, you say. Like, an original agent of Fen'Harel.”

Felassan nodded his head briefly. “I have served at his side for countless years.”

Varric turned back to Carly. “Is he the one you mentioned? The one that Solas thought was dead?”

“Yes,” she replied, facing Felassan's sharp look that she'd talked about him without him realizing. “What, you were part of the history. I knew the possibility always existed that you weren't dead. Just...”

“Tranquil. I do not like to recall those days.” His tone had turned mildly stilted and testy. It was certainly his right to discuss it or not and she respected that.

“Fair enough.” She could see Varric and Hawke both practically brimming with questions, but neither said a word once Felassan stated he didn't want to talk about it. “Right. Dinner.”

***

It was a pleasant meal, braised druffalo with sides of potatoes and seasonal vegetables. It reminded Carly of pot roast and she was proud of herself for making it without any help. It seemed Felassan was intrigued by this side of her too. She kept catching him watching her as she cooked, as she served. As they ate. She gave him a mild look back and he smirked, as he usually did.

“So,” Varric started, once they were all so full they couldn't sit up straight. “Why are you here?”

“Just needed some peace and quiet. Skyhold is nearly as full as it was during the Inquisition. It's just...”

“It's full of spirits now,” Felassan finished for her. “It takes getting used to. Even I have found myself craving some privacy. Lesser formed spirits and wisps have no concept of leaving you alone.”

“Is that why you came along?” Hawke asked.

He smirked again. “Oh no, I'm her amelan.”

“You don't have to say it like that, you little shit,” Carly snorted and threw her napkin at him. She turned to the others to explain. “Amelan means keeper or guardian. And while it's true he watches my back, my _Keeper_ is Deshanna Istimaethoriel, thank you very much.” She stuck out her tongue at him and he grinned. “He came with me because he trains me when Solas isn't around.”

“That would make me your hahren, da'len.”

She shook her head. “Fine, you know what? I realize I'm just digging this hole deeper, so I'll shut up now.”

“You're a mage then?” Hawke asked.

“I am Elvhen.”

Hawke and Varric both looked confused. Carly took pity on them. “All Elvhen have magic. It's inherent. They don't see themselves as mages in the modern sense. Solas only ever referred to himself that way to blend in because the truth would have been too complicated and would have ruined his facade as a harmless hobo apostate who is _totally_ not a god.”

Felassan cackled. “You are so irreverent.”

“And you both like it.”

He raised his glass to her. “We do. Although I would like to point out it's for completely different reasons.” He turned to the others. “Fen'Harel was not always so serious and boring, you know. She is good for him.”

“Considering how she managed to wrangle him into _not_ destroying the world, I'll drink to that,” Varric said.

“Hear hear,” Hawke toasted.

***

Varric and Hawke stayed late, but eventually the evening drew to a close. The foyer of the house stood empty now, the Sentinels dismissed for the night to do whatever it was they did after hours. Varric pulled her aside before they left, however. “Peaches, I've been hearing rumors. Qunari movements towards Tevinter.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right.”

He shook his head at her. “And I thought you said you didn't have any more foreknowledge.”

“I don't...not really. I just know that the Qunari will focus on Tevinter now that we kicked them out of the South. There's some other odds and ends that I need to get Solas working on too. We don't have Grey Wardens to lose in the Deep Roads anymore, but that doesn't mean there aren't still things that shouldn't be allowed to run amok.”

“That sounds...ominous. And the writer in me is deploring all those negatives.”

She gave him a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I know you aren't big on dwarven empire stuff, but there's thaigs we should be keeping an eye on. They were cut off from each other. That doesn't mean they're dead.”

“You know that sounds worse, right?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Hormak is the one we really need buttoned up. The rest can wait.”

“Andraste's ass...” he swore under his breath. “Do I even want to ask?”

“Ghilan'nain had a laboratory underneath. Presumably it's still there. Stuff is going to start...escaping from it.”

“Stuff.”

“Weird, dangerous stuff that I will absolutely be letting my mage god boyfriend deal with. She was his ex, after all.”

“You know, every time I think there isn't anything more to learn about him, you throw something like that out there.”

She grinned, but she knew it fell a little flat. “I know. Sorry to end the night on a downer. Just...keep me informed of Qunari movements, and I'll keep you informed on elven ones.”

“That's a fair trade, Peaches. I'll take it.”


	2. Interpersonal Politics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3/9/21

Morning brought paperwork. That was nothing new these days. Carly set herself up in her office with her breakfast and got to work. Building a new elven empire from the ground up was a full time job. And at least part of the reason she and Felassan were in the Free Marches was to make a side trip to Wycome and see her clan and get some idea of how the remaining elves were doing that hadn't gone south.

In the month since securing the Dales and taking down the Veil over Skyhold, there had been almost daily reports of elves settling in to their restored land. Dalish clans were making their slow passage across Thedas one by one, while city elves had emigrated more quickly through the Eluvian network. Halamshiral was the capital, and it was where her idea for a parliamentary style government was taking shape. Other cities were swiftly forming as more and more elves came home.

Each Keeper would represent their individual Dalish clan, while hahrens among the former alienage communities were being elected by the city elves. Abelas stood for the Elvhen currently, although he wasn't necessarily happy about it. He didn't think he was qualified, which made her laugh. _No one_ was really qualified for this; they were starting fresh with a new type of leadership fairly unknown in this world. Collectively they would work out what was best for the People, hopefully without too much conflict. She and Solas had no intention of letting the new nation become as corrupt as Elvhenan had been. She'd imported Earth food and slang to Thedas, now it was time for something bigger, more impactful. Like democracy.

In the meantime, she worked to secure alliances with both Ferelden and Orlais for trade. Ferelden was on board wholeheartedly, but Orlais was trickier. The Dales as a nation was not popular among the humans there, nor was the tension between Carly and Empress Celene a secret. She was thinking it might be better to start forging ties with other nations like Nevarra, Rivain and Antiva. Even the Anderfels had already sent a representative for a peaceful treaty between their nations. The Free Marches had to be dealt with one city-state at a time. Tevinter was still in dispute, since they had no plans to agree to her terms of letting their slaves go. A battle for another day.

“Carly,” Felassan called to her, sticking his head into her office.

“Hmm?”

“Shall we spar?”

“Gimme a minute.” She finished looking over the contract in her hand before signing her name at the bottom. It would be sent on to Halamshiral to be examined by Parliament and only then would it become ratified. At least this last one was simple. An agreement between the Dales and Viscount Tethras to continue the lyrium supply flowing into Skyhold through the Merchants Guild. In exchange, the Guild would get silverite mined from Emprise du Lion, or whatever it would be called when they decided on a new name. Or more likely, an old one.

Either way, this particular contract was necessary and she was glad to have it done. Solas and the other Elvhen were exceedingly picky about the lyrium they needed, which had necessitated further negotiations with a high ranking Smith caste representative in Orzammar. Only the purest lyrium interested her elves, and she thought she knew why. Eluvians were expensive to make, but once completed, they would be invaluable as a resource.

When she stood up from her desk, she saw Felassan leaning casually against the door, smirking at her as he usually did. “You work too hard.”

“There's a lot of work to be done.” She shook out her prosthetic arm, making sure the straps were in the right places and the runes to the lyrium in her arm were fully connected. That's all they would need, for her to have her arm go 'dead' in the middle of sparring. It had happened once or twice. She'd built up muscle in her forearm again, and it was probably time to have Dagna realign the fitting for the sleeve her stump rested in.

“And you have time for it,” he retorted, bringing her back to the present. It was still strange to think of herself as ageless and undying. She wasn't used to it yet. Still, she tried to take Mythal's gift to her in stride.

“Sure, _I_ do. The Elvhen do. The rest of the People are mortal.” She crossed the office and grabbed the staff she'd only just started working with. The house in Kirkwall didn't have a courtyard like Skyhold, but she and Solas had turned some of the extra bedrooms into training areas. It wasn't like they needed them for anything else. “Besides,” she continued, taking a stance across from Felassan, “the sooner I get all this set up, the sooner I can step back and let it run itself.”

He smirked again. “I wonder what the others think of you.”

The _others_ being the rest of the Elvhen, she guessed. “Why, because I have no interest in acting like an Evanuris?”

“Nor Fen'Harel. It is...bewildering to many.”

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I didn't even need Solas to tell me that one. It's true no matter what dimension it's in.” They began with a simple warm up of coordinated practice moves with their staves. The clack of wood on wood was the only sound for a while.

The simple dance graduated to more complex sequences, faster and harder until Carly had to concentrate to watch where Felassan put his feet, where his body telegraphed his intentions. He was quick and nimble, but she was no slouch herself. He swung his staff at her and she backflipped away from the attack without much thought and a whole lot of muscle memory. She landed lightly on the balls of her feet and pulled up her staff like it was a cudgel. Felassan stopped and raised a hand to call a halt.

“I haven't seen you do that one before.”

“Tactical gymnastics,” she joked. She took the opportunity to take a breather, leaning on the staff and letting her heart rate settle. Their workout had left her sweaty and a little lightheaded already. “It's a move I usually do with my bow. I've got special arrows that split. Great move in the thick of things. And on top of it, I combine it with stealth in the field.”

“You are a remarkable warrior.”

“I wouldn't go that far. I'm a rogue class,” she said with a snort. He gave her a questioning look. “Back on Earth, where this is just a game, there are three classes you can choose for your character. Warrior, mage or rogue. Warriors use sword and shield or two handed weapons, mages are obvious,” she swept a hand between them, pointing out their staves, “and rogues are either archers or dual wield with daggers. Like Cole. I like archery.”

Felassan digested that in silence for a moment. Then he grinned at her, lopsided and carefree. “You are still remarkable. To translate that concept into this life...without specialized training, from what I understand, takes natural skill. Are you certain you weren't born Elvhen?”

“Quite certain. It's been three years but I still have to remind myself that I'm not human.”

His grin grew wider. “And that is remarkable too. I am no longer surprised you were such a mystery to Fen'Harel. His curiosity is legend.”

“Oh, I know. I counted on it in the beginning. It took him a hot minute to be comfortable with the idea that I knew everything.” They went back to work, although with less aim for finesse and more for cool down. “Why do you always call him that?”

“It is the name I've known him by for too many years to give it up easily. Why do you not?”

“Because for one thing, I know he's not super fond of what it's come to symbolize, and for another...” She shrugged and swept out her staff at his legs. He hopped over it with ease, his look reproving for the low blow. “Fen'Harel came later. He was Solas first.”

Felassan stopped. “Yes, he was. There are few who remember that.”

“It was never about remembering it for me. In the Inquisition itself, he was just Solas. Apostate, Fadewalker, sneaky obfuscating bastard. An adorable menace.”

Felassan laughed. “There are even fewer who would describe him as such.”

“I can claim lover's prerogative.”

“So you can,” he agreed with a flourishing bow. “A rarity, I hope you know.”

Carly rolled the staff between her hands, the ceramic of her prosthetic making soft tapping noises on it. “I know about Andruil and Ghilan'nain. And Ise'lean. I don't actually know if there were others.”

“You remind me of Ise'lean.”

“Do I?” She was surprised. Solas certainly hadn't made the comparison. Then again, he was reluctant to speak much of the elgar'venathe partner he'd been forced to kill. She certainly didn't blame him for that.

“Before her corruption, at least. She was a bright, lively thing. Curious, of course, open minded, and clever. As you are. Suffice to say I'm not at all surprised you know about her.”

“We don't keep secrets from each other.”

“Another rarity for him. I hope you appreciate it.”

“I do.”

“And as far as others go...of course there were others. We were all young once.”

Carly snorted. Felassan's accent made him sound so much like Solas at times, and hearing him say that, in the same tone that Solas used in the game, was entertaining. “What about you, Slow Arrow? Any tales of decadence and debauchery to poke at?”

“None so interesting as his. I was a slave for much of my life, and then a rebel in his army. That doesn't leave much time for a social life. And most certainly none for triads among the Evanuris.”

“I suppose that's true.” She eyed him, calculating. “What about Revanas?”

“What about her?”

“What's going on there?”

He smiled, and it was soft. She'd almost describe it as tender. It transformed his face from impertinent to genuinely affectionate. Whether he knew it or not, he was totally gone for her friend, the Sentinel artificer. “We enjoy each other's company.”

“Is that all it is?”

“It's too soon for it to be anything else.”

“Okay, we can go with that.” She reminded herself that no matter how well he'd integrated back into being a whole person, he'd spent time Tranquil. There had to be scars there, unpredictable ones. She let the subject go while she stretched her arms and torso. Sparring like this used very different muscles than she was used to, although it was getting easier. “I need food.”

Felassan chuckled. “As do I. Lunch?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elgar'venathe - 'walking spirit', a term for those spirits who've taken on physical form (like Cole). Borrowed with permission from queenofkadara.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is forever the lifeblood. I answer every comment. 
> 
> Cheers!


End file.
